New model heckler vs 2005 Intense 5.5

My dad's considering moving from his current ride, an Intense 5.5 that he picked up second hand from a friend recently, as a few things are starting to show signs of wear and tear. He bought all new parts, is considering buying a new frame to go along with them.

I have previously had a Superlight and really I liked the way it rode, but would have preferred a little more travel. We both ride similar trails, no big jumps/drops, and I'm thinking that perhaps the Heckler, being a SP and I assume similar to the Superlight but with more travel, will be a good choice for him. Has anyone had any experience riding both the Heckler and the Intense 5.5? How do they compare? With one being a VPP and one a SP, will he notice a negative difference crossing over to the Heckler?

VPP is a BIG performance increase over SPs, with a corresponding big increase in price. Especially with Intense...the 5.5 frame is almost twice the price of the Heckler, I believe.

Also...Santa Cruz and Intense are pretty different as far as geometry goes. SCs tend to be longer and slacker. If money is no object, and your pa is happy with the old 5.5, by all means he should get another one. If cost or fit is an issue, a Heckler or BLT might be a good bet.

I own both and the 5.5 is probably the way to go for what you're riding. It has more of an XC feel to it than the Heckler. As FW said, the Heckler is more slack in the head tube and the cockpit puts the rider in a more upright position. I've also found the Heckler tends to loose momentum easily when rolling over square edged bumps. The 5.5 is much more pleasant on longer rides, but the Heckler does really well on big hits and jumps.

If I were in your pa's place, I'd put some fresh bearings in the 5.5 and keep going....